


Maybe I'm Not As Bad, Maybe You're Worse

by dirkygoodness



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alexandria Safe-Zone, Carl finds a stereo, Carol finds music, Dancing must ensue, Daryl feels like shit about himself, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mostly Fluff, Rick knows and helps as best he can
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-18
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-26 22:31:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5023015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dirkygoodness/pseuds/dirkygoodness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Well, I wanna show you somethin'." Rick says, and right then it's decided. Daryl's going to come inside for Rick, because Rick needs to show him something.</p>
<p>Even though Daryl doesn't want to, he knows he's helpless now. He can't really say no to Rick on good days, let alone when he's so happy.</p>
<p>"Yeah, alright." He says quietly. Rick smiles, turning back to the front door and pulling it open with a small laugh.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Maybe I'm Not As Bad, Maybe You're Worse

**Author's Note:**

> This took way longer then I'd intended ;-;
> 
> First time posting in TWD fandom. I've really grown to like this here ship - even if it kind of happened on accident pfft
> 
>  
> 
> Sorry for inconveniences, misspellings, and any other mistakes I tried to fix as much as I could.

Daryl jumps when the door slams loudly above him, his leg twitching so hard he kicks the deck railing, _hard_. He curses, hand instinctively going to his crossbow as he looks up to the sound. He's met with amused blue eyes, a faint smile playing at the others lips. Rick looks like he might laugh as he speaks.

"Sorry. Shouldn't have slammed it." Rick apologizes as he shoves his hands into the pockets of his police jacket, Daryl's eyes dropping down to the movement as he does.

Daryl sighs to himself, letting his hand drop limply to the old wood floor of the porch deck underneath him. Daryl's eyes are sore and his back is stiff from staying in one position for too long.

He must have fallen asleep, because when he'd first sat here it'd be around noon, but now it's dark enough to be midnight.

He silently chastises himself for falling asleep outside, for falling asleep on his - _self-appointed_ \- watch. Above him Rick moves again, going to lean against the side of the house.

Daryl watches him now, silently wondering what he wanted. Rick had made plans for tonight - some kind of party, almost.

It wasn't exactly a party, Rick was too aware for that. More of the whole group reminiscing about before the apocalypse, about better times. That'd been why Daryl had come out here in the first place.

He hadn't wanted to listen to the others talk about good times past, about funny stories of long lost loved ones. So Rick should be inside, not out here with Daryl and his depressing mood. But Rick doesn't say anything, so Daryl purses his lips, moving to get more comfortable.

"You needin' somethin'?" Daryl asks, his voice rough from lack of use and he flinches, his throat hurting in it's dryness. Rick hums above him, kicking a rock off of the porch.

"Just wanted to know if you were coming inside." He says, sounding much too proud of himself - and Daryl doesn't even know what he did to be proud. It could be him finding this place, Alexandrea.

Or maybe it's him getting some quality time with Carl and the others since forever. It could be just about anything - even about him shaving his beard. Daryl sighs, looking off towards the empty road.

"Ain't plannin' on it." Daryl says gruffly, and he hears more then sees Rick leaning heavier on the wall. Daryl doesn't want to be anywhere near something like that now - doesn't want to think about the 'good times' before all of this.

Besides, he doesn't think they want him inside anyway. He still hasn't taken a shower and probably smells like death - probably has some kind of infestation. They just got clean.

But Rick clicks his tongue, and Daryl looks back at him. Rick's smiling again and Daryl swears he hasn't seen him smile this much since Lori was still alive. Maybe Alexandrea will be good for them, for Rick. But Daryl doesn't think he'll be any good in it, for it, and doubts it'll be anything good for him.

"Well, I wanna show you somethin'." Rick says, and right then it's decided. Daryl's going to come inside for Rick, because Rick needs to show him something.

Even though Daryl doesn't want to, he knows he's helpless now. He can't really say no to Rick on good days, let alone when he's so happy.

So Daryl sighs, nodding his head as he pushes himself into a standing position. Rick raises an eyebrow, not surprised - more questioning. Daryl nods again.

"Yeah, alright." He says quietly. Rick smiles, turning back to the front door and pulling it open with a small laugh. Now Daryl's confused - just a little bit, because Rick seemed much to happy.

To excited to get Daryl inside. A bubble of anxious anticipation grows inside him as he moves to follow Rick inside.

He's not sure what's going on, but he hopes its not some kind of intervention. But Rick's too happy for that to be it. Daryl stops the second he's inside, his mouth dropping open slightly as he takes on the sight before him.

The furniture has been pushed against the walls, leaving a large space in front of all of them - and there's soft music playing, something classical, and people are dancing.

Carl's sitting on the couch with Judith on his lap, a large grin plastered on his face as Michonne sways in front of them, talking about how she can't dance.

Maggie's got her arms around Glenn's neck, swaying with him in time to the soft music. Everyone else is pared up for the most part, save Carol who's sitting in a chair across the room.

She doesn't look sad though, really, grinning as she watches the others dance. All of it is so mundane it takes Daryl's breath away - before he's turning to Rick with a confused look on his face.

"What's all this then?" Rick laughs again, nodding his head towards a stereo off to the corner of the room.

"Carl found that upstarts. Carol found the CDs, and we put one in. Dancing was their idea, though I'm not complaining." He informs Daryl like it's obvious, and Daryl closes his hands into fists as he looks at them in barely concealed interest.

He's glad they're happy - they look good, better then they all have in a long time. They haven't actually celebrated - well, anything, in a long time. But then he frowns.

"You wanted to show me this?" Daryl asks warily. Rick nods, nothing else, just simply nods to him. Daryl gives it a moment, thinking he'll elaborate. But when he doesn't Daryl rolls his eyes. "Why?"

"To maybe try and calm you down." Rick says, and now he's got this sad, heartbreakingly hopeful smile on his face. Daryl swallows hard, looking away from Rick's face as he continues. "I know we still gotta be on our guard - but no one here, they can't do anything to us. Nothing that we won't stop before it really starts. You need rest too."

Laughing, Rick rubs the back of his head, and Daryl sees a faint blush spread across his face.

"Also, I was goin' to ask of you wanted to dance." Daryl feels his heart stop momentarily, his eye surely going wide. Did Rick just ask him to - no, he didn't. Couldn't have. Rick didn't want to dance with him. So Daryl laughs, a hollow thing, because treating it like a joke is easy.

"I ain't really got anyone to dance with."

"Neither do I." Rick says right back, his eyes dancing with soft amusement and question. Daryl closes his mouth then.

Now he's sure Rick is asking him to dance, positive. He can see the steely determination in his eyes, the way he's standing full of promise. Daryl lets out a shaky breath, looking away again in attempt to fight off his embarrassment.

"I don't know how."

"I'll teach you." Rick replies, and then Daryl's nodding, defeated. Because why the hell not? It's not like it'll kill him. And Rick seems willing to - he ain't pushing the other man into it, and Rick isn't actually pushing him.

He's just asking.

So Daryl nods and let's Rick grab his elbow, leading him out into the middle of the room. Daryl sees Carol look at him, a smile spreading across her face. Daryl resists the urge to tell her to shut up - even though she hasn't said anything.

As if reading his mind her smile grows wider, and Daryl feels his face grow hotter because, _fuck_ , he feels like everyone's eyes are on him and he's never really liked all that attention.

Carl laughs all of a sudden, and Rick as something to him that Daryl doesn't quite catch. He clenches his teeth, trying to keep himself from feeling embarrassed about all of this.

It's stupid, really, it's just Rick. His friend. But he can't help the way his stomach does a flip anytime Rick touches him, the way his entire self buzzes when Rick talks to him.

It's stupid and childish, but Daryl can't help it, and as he's pulls to a stop he wants to bury his face in his hands from all the embarrassment he's feeling. Rick doesn't give him time to though, grabbing on of Daryl's hands and placing in on shoulder.

"Since you don't know how I'll lead." Rick informs him. Daryl wants to protest because like _hell_ he's going to play the part of the girl, be led around the room like some damsel.

(He's not saying that girls are bad, but Daryl knows he's supposed to be the leader - if Merle were here he'd laugh and kick his ass over this.) But as Rick moves Daryl's hands to his shoulders, Daryl can't help but feel relieved that at least Rick knows what he's doing.

Finally Rick moves his hands to Daryl's waist, and Daryl can't help it when he stiffens under the touch. If Rick notices he doesn't mention it though, instead clearing his throat to get Daryl's attention.

"This is really simply - kids do this dance in high school because it's easier then learning how to do stuff like waltzing. Just sway back and forth with me, and I'll spin us in a circle."

"That don't really sound like dancin'." Daryl scoffed, his voice lacking any real disagreement. Rick laughs, shaking his head, his curls bouncing slightly against his head. Suddenly Daryl has a thought and pulls his hands back a little.

"Do you really even - I mean, I'm still dirty an' shit. Do you really wanna dance when I'm all gross and you're clean?" Daryl says awkwardly, but Rick smiles softly, and shakes his head.

"Doesn't really matter to me what you look like - I honestly don't care. Now come on, before the song ends." And then Rick's moving them, swaying in a small circle.

It's easy enough, though it feels almost silly to be doing it. Behind the, Maggie and Glenn are talking quietly about something, and Carl and Michonne are looking happy enough. It feels stupid really, to feel good like this after everything that had happened. To feel like it might be okay - even for a little bit.

But Rick's hands on his waist are strong and firm, keeping him here and now, keeping him feeling strangely okay. And Daryl smiles slightly as a thought hits him. Rick notices the change in his mood, he supposes, because Rick's laughing and Daryl looks at him.

"What's so funny?"

"What are you thinkin'?" Rick counters. Daryl rolls his eyes, before letting out an amused sigh.

"It's the end of the world, everythin's gone to shit an' your dancin' with me in a living room listenin' to classical music." Daryl says, and Rick laughs, and maybe Daryl lets himself enjoy what's around him for once.

Let's himself relax just a fraction, to feel good, even though feeling good just makes him feel worse normally. Because Rick's a strong presence in front of him, a firm hold keeping him strangely real.

Because Rick's hands feel good against him, strong and reassuring, and because maybe he doesn't feel that bad about himself when he lets his head drop to the ex-cops shoulder with a content sigh.

Maybe he takes comfort when he feels the ghost of Rick's lips press into his hair for just a moment.

Maybe.


End file.
